In co-pending application Ser. No. 291,028, filed Aug. 7, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,815 a system for handling axial lead components is described. In that system the components are placed upon, carried by and removed from a special flexible tape. The tape has a plurality of sprocket receiving holes along it edges. It also has a plurality of component receiving holes spaced centrally along the tape. The component holes have tabs at each lateral end extending away from the tape. The tabs define a slot for receiving the leads of the components. The slot has a predefined width at the end away from the tape. The slot width increases toward the base of the tabs. In the above noted co-pending application, the system is described as useful for printing indicia upon components held by the tape. This application discloses a specific embodiment of an apparatus for offset printing upon components held by the component tape.